Apparatus for preparing metal test samples from molten metal baths



Feb. 6, 1968 w. J. CURRY, JR

APPARATUS FOR PREPARING METAL TE ST SAMPLES FROM MOLTEN METAL BATHSFiled June 24, 1965 ll lll IIHIHI Fig. I

Fig.4

v INVEN TOR. William J. Curry, Jr

H/S ATTORNEYS United States Patent f 3,367,189 APPARATUS FOR PREPARINGMETAL TEST SAMPLES FROM MOLTEN METAL BATHS William J. Curry, Jr.,Johnstown, Pa., assignor t0 Hiram Swanks Sons, Johnstown, Pa. Filed June24, 1965, Ser. No. 466,733 7 Claims. (Cl. 73425.4)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A molten metal sampling apparatus having anelongated hollow body of refractory material secured at one end to ahandle and having a filling passageway in a side of the body for thefiow of molten metal to fill the body which is the desired size of thesample to be taken and which may contain a chilling plug.

For many years it has been the custom in the steel and other metalindustries to obtain samples of molten metal during processing fortesting and analysis of physical and chemical properties. An operatorhas dipped a hand ladle into a molten bath or molten metal has beenpoured into a hand ladle, following which the molten metal in the ladlehas been poured into molds of the desired size and shape, which, whenair cooled, produced samples of the desired size and shape for chemicaland physical analysis, particularly physical analysis.

I have invented method and apparatus whereby this sampling operation iscompleted more quickly than has heretofore been the practice. Myinvention is useful whenever it is important that test samples beobtained quickly, and it is, therefore, particularly useful in obtainingsamples from basic oxygen furnaces.

Broadly described, my invention comprises the use of a mold ofrefractory material which is secured to the end of a handle so that itcan be dipped into a bath of molten metal and which, when mounted on theend of a handle, is a closed hollow body having a filling passagewaythrough which molten metal will flow to fill the body when it is dippedinto a molten metal bath.

The mold is dipped into a bath filled with molten metal. The metal flowsinto the mold and solidifies within the mold while the mold is in thebath. After the mold has been filled, it is withdrawn and broken to freethe solidified metal. The interior of the mold has the desired size andshape of a sample to be used for testing so that a sample is immediatelyavailable when the refractory mold is broken.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated certain presentlypreferred embodiments of my invention in which:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal section of a mold embodying my invention;

FIGURE 2 is an end view of the mold shown in FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a partial side View of a handle used to maneuver the moldshown in FIGURES l and 2;

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal section of a modified form of mold embodyingmy invention;

FIGURE 5 is an end view of the mold shown in FIG- URE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is a partial longitudinal section of a handle to be secured tothe mold shown in FIGURE 4 and of the mold together with a key forjoining the handle and the mold.

Referring to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, the apparatus which I haveinvented for preparing metal test samples comprises a mold in the formof a hollow body 7 of refractory material, for example, refractory clay,which is preferably in the form of an elongated hollow cylinder3,367,189 Patented Feb. 6, 1968 closed at one end 8 and open at theother end 9. The interior 10 of the mold body has the size and shape ofa test sample which is to be obtained.

The open end 9 has longitudinally extending slots 11 and innercircumferentially extending slots 12 which form bayonet slots whereby ahandle 13 (see FIGURE 3) may be secured to the open end of the mold. Asshown in FIGURE 3, the handle 13 has an end portion 14 which has adiameter the same as the interior 10 of the mold and an elongated handleportion 15. The end portion 14 of the handle has bayonet lugs 16 whichcooperate with the slots 11 and 12 to form a bayonet joint whereby thehandle is secured to the open end 9 of the mold 7. An end portion 14a ofthe enlarged portion 14 extends forwardly of the lugs 16 and has abeveled edge 14b to facilitate positioning of the portion 14 within themold 7. The end portion also assists in closing the open end 9 by thehandle when the bayonet lugs 16 are inserted into the slots 11, and thehandle is turned so that the lugs 16 slide in the slots 12 to secure thehandle to the mold 7.

The mold has in its side an access passageway 17 through which moltenmetal will flow into the interior 10 of the mold when the mold is dippedinto a bath of molten metal as is later described.

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal section of a modified form of mold embodyingmy invention. The mold 18 is in the form of an elongated hollowcylindrical body of refractory material having an interior 19 which hasthe size and shape of the test samples to be taken from the bath. Afilling passageway 20 is in the side of the mold for the flow of moltenmetal from the bath into the interior 19 when the mold is dipped into abath. As shown by the dotted lines 20a in FIGURE 4, the passageway issloped toward the handle at an angle of approximately degrees with thecentral axis of the mold to facilitate the flow of molten metal into themold.

The mold has a closed end 21 and an open end 22. The open end 22 has adiameter larger than the diameter of the interior 19 of the mold to forma shoulder 23. A handle for maneuvering the mold is secured to the openend 22, and when in position, holds a cylindrical plug 24 of refractorymaterial against the shoulder 23 to close the interior 19 of the mold.

Referring to FIGURE 6, a handle 25 has an enlarged end 26 of a diameterto fit closely within the open end 22 of the mold. The enlarged end hasa diametrically extending passageway 27 through which a pin 28 is passedafter the enlarged end 26 has been inserted in the open end 22 of themold. This pin 28 extends into two diametri cally opposed openings 29 inthe sides of the open end 22 and thereby secures the handle to the mold,and a portion 30 of enlarged portion 26 which is forward of the pin 28holds the plug 24 against the shoulder 23 of the mold. The pin 28extends only part way into the passageway 29 and the ends of the pinsare covered with high temperature cement 28a to hold the pin in positionand prevent metal in the bath from adhering to the ends of the pins.

To obtain a test sample, an operator secures a mold to a handle and dipsthe mold into the molten bath. The mold may be dipped vertically intothe moi-ten bath or it can be immersed at an angle to the vertical. Whenthe mold is dipped into the bath at an angle, the filling passageway ispositioned vertically, and the end of the handle can be bent at an angleof degrees to give an indication of the test mold position. If the metalbath has a slag covering, the mold may be turned to point the fillingpassageway downwardly while the mold is being passed through the slagand then again turned so that the passageway extends upwardly.

Because the mold is made of refractory material, the

temperature of the inside of the mold is considerably below thetemperature of the molten bath, when the mold is inserted in the bath,and therefore the molten metal being sampled solidifies almost instantlyupon entry into the mold. When the mold has been filled it is withdrawnfrom the bath, and it can be immediately broken to produce a test samplehaving the size and shape desired for chemical and physical analysis andtesting.

In order to expedite the chilling of the molten metal which flows intothe mold, I may provide a cylindrical copper plug 31 which is placedadjacent the closed end 21 of the mold as shown in FIGURE 4. To furtherexpedite chilling of the metal, I may make the ceramic plug 24 also ofcopper.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have invented method andapparatus for preparing test samples from molten metal baths whichproduce the samples much more quickly than has heretofore been done. Ina single operation, test samples are prepared which have the desiredsize and shape for physical testing and which also can be used forchemical analysis. The molds are readily attached to a handle wherebythey can be dipped into a molten bath, and they can be manufactured atlow cost so that their breaking to free the test samples constitutesonly a very small part of the cost of the entire test procedure.

While I have described certain presently preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that they may be otherwise variouslyembodied within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for preparing metal test samples from molten metal bathswhich comprises,

(A) an elongated hollow body of non metallic refractory material closedat one end, and open at the other end,

(B) a handle for maneuvering the body into and out of metal baths,

(C) means at the open end of said body for securing the handle to thebody, the handle extending into the open end to close it, and

(D) a filling passageway in a side of the body and between the ends ofthe body for the flow of molten metal into the body when it is dippedinto a bath of said metal.

2. Apparatus for preparing metal samples as described in claim 1 inwhich the means for securing the handle to the body comprises bayonetslots in the body and bayonet lugs on the handle, the slots and lugscooperating to complete a bayonet joint and the end of the handleclosing the open end of the body.

3. Apparatus for preparing metal samples as described in claim 1 inwhich the means for securing the handle to the body comprisesdiametrically opposed openings in the sides of the body adjacent saidopen end, a transverse opening in the handle, and a pin extendingthrough the opening in the handle and into the openings in the sides ofthe body when all openings are axially aligned.

4. Apparatus for preparing metal samples as described in claim 1 andhaving a refractory plug positioned at the end of the handle for closingthe open end of said body.

5. Apparatus for preparing metal samples as described in claim 1 andhaving a copper plug positioned at the end of the handle for closing theopen end of said body.

6. Apparatus for preparing metal samples as described in claim 1 andhaving a copper plug positioned adjacent the closed end of said body forchilling molten metal entering said body when it is dipped into a moltenbath.

7. Apparatus for preparing metal samples as described in claim 1 inwhich the interior of the elongated hollow body conforms in size andshape to the desired test sample.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 95,643 10/1869 Brunner.

1,387,293 8/1921 Morse 164-132 1,972,945 9/1934 Nilson 164120 2,583,0081/1952 Olsen 164l08 X 3,221,559 12/1965 Miller l64-4 X 3,313,159 4/ 1967Vanderbeck. 3,267,732 8/1966 Hance 73-359 3,298,069 1/1967 Acre 164--335160,416 3/1875 Furst 73-425.2 1,168,486 l/1916 Des Isles 73-425.22,896,444 7/1959 Forman et al.

I. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner.

V. RISING, Assistant Examiner.

